How to Install the Exchange 2010 Management Tools on Windows 8 RTM

This is definitely unsupported so be sure to read the disclaimer on the right side of this blog before continuing. Read this blog article completely before attempting this process.

You’ve just reloaded your work computer with Windows 8 RTM that you downloaded from MSDN or TechNet and you need to install the Exchange Server 2010 Management Tools so you can manage your Exchange server without having to log into it whether it be with the GUI or with PowerShell. In this example, I run setup.exe from a copy of Exchange 2010 with Service Pack 2, clicked through a couple of screens taking all the defaults and on the following screen, select “Custom Exchange Server Installation”. Then select next:

You’ll only need the “Management Tools”:

The prerequisite checks will fail stating that Windows 8 is not supported:

You can use PowerShell or RegEdit to modify the CurrentVersion setting in the registry from 6.2 to 6.1 which tells Windows 8, you’re not really Windows 8:

You’ll need to manually enable the “IIS 6 Management Console” and “IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility” features otherwise the installation will fail at this point due to those missing. Once all of those changes have been made, the “Readiness Checks” will complete:

The installation finishes without issue:

Once the installation is complete, change the CurrentVersion setting back to 6.2. PowerShell is my tool of choice and I like problems that give me an excuse to use it.

This process circumvents a safety feature that I’m sure was put in place for a good reason so you’ve been warned. Don’t blame me when your computer crashes and burns.

Update 8/21/12Based on the comments I’ve received on this blog, I’ve verified that there is an issue with the Exchange Management Console (GUI). You’re unable to expand the tree beyond the point shown in the following image to manage the Exchange server from Windows 8:

Based on this, the only reason to attempt this install is for the PowerShell snap-ins.

I know this is an older post, but upon trying to install the Exchange 2010 SP2 update for the management tools I had to change both the CurrentVersion to 6.1 and the CurrentProductName from “Windows 8 Pro” to “Windows 7 Pro”. Changing the version alone wasn’t enough to get past validation, but adding the name change on as well seems to do the trick.

I just changed the batch a little bit, so it would work with the default Exchange directory: @echo off set __COMPAT_LAYER=RUNASINVOKER set COMPLUS_Version=v2.0.50727 “C:Program FilesMicrosoftExchange ServerV14BinExchange Management Console.msc”

This is how I launch the EMC and it expands all the way just like on the server – I see Org, Server and Recipient Configuration. I see no difference in functionality just yet from that of sitting in front of the physical server.

I did have some permissions issues where I could not see Org Config and Server Config. I resolved this by remoting into the Exchange server (single exch server environment), open EMS, grant permissions to my username (jferguson): Add-RoleGroupMember “Recipient Management” -Member jferguson Add-RoleGroupMember “Server Management” -Member jferguson

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